Ties That Bind
by Michelle1408
Summary: Colm O'Driscoll is probably the worst sort of scum you can find in America. His daughter Cassidy wasn't much better. She was known for being a hothead and stubborn as a mule. A bloody encounter between the O'Driscolls and the Van der Linde gang changes how she sees the world. (Contains spoilers for RDR2)
1. Chapter 1

The harsh winds of winter made the land feel restless. No one could get warm in this cold, no number of layers or fire could cure the sharp shivers that take control of each and every limb. Cassidy O'Driscoll wasn't built for the cold, just like her father Colm. Few Irishmen could withstand any amount of snow. She would sometimes think that her mother would've been the same if she were still alive. The thought of her dead, nameless mother came and quickly left her mind whenever boredom struck, which wasn't often. The job of assisting her father in running a gang kept her busy most days, though waiting out a blizzard had delayed their plans of heading east. Now, huddling over the only campfire they had, she allowed her mind to wander.

"You seen Colm?" asked one of her father's lackeys. She didn't bother to learn their names unless they survived longer than a month or two, most of them died on their first job. Colm said it was better that way, fewer people meant more money for them. She agreed since that was their way of life after all. Whenever she felt lonesome, she'd invite the most tolerable of the men into her bed. They made for decent company until they got attached to her, then she'd set them loose like an undergrown fish.

"You got eyes, don't you?" she responded, her gaze still fixated on the fire.

The young man stifled a sigh. He knew not to pester her. Cassidy was more than Colm's daughter, she took on the role of leader when he wasn't around. She's had that responsibility since she turned twenty-four about a year ago now.

"I been looking, Miss…" he added nervously. The O'Driscolls had been on edge ever since they were ambushed while robbing some remote farmhouse, none of their men had survived. They weren't alone out here.

Cassidy momentarily thought about giving him an earful before getting up and taking in his appearance. A young face, kind eyes, unflattering facial hair. "What's your name?" she asked, raising a curious brow.

He swallowed before answering. "K-Kieran Duffy."

"Colm just left for Six Point Cabin. We ain't gonna see him till we join him there, so I suggest you spit out whatever you gotta say, Kieran." She aimlessly walked towards the main hub of their camp, Kieran following her like a lost puppy without being asked.

"Well, one of them boys on patrol swears he seen someone poking around, said there was some big feller trying to get a look at us." Kieran spoke faster than his mind worked, he sounded like he was going to self-implode any moment now.

Cassidy paused to make sure she'd heard everything correctly. It sounded more like a delirious guard who got spooked by a wolf. Those mystery attackers wouldn't follow them this far, what motive could they possibly have to come after them?

She scanned the area while speaking, making sure everyone was still pulling their weight around camp. "Relax Duffy, ain't nothing to be scared of out here unless you can't handle some wolves or a bear. Get some more boys to watch the area if you can't…" she was suddenly distracted by what appeared to be the top of someone's head who was failing to properly crouch behind cover. She squinted her deep blue eyes at what she thought she was seeing, then a blaring gunshot confirmed it. She dragged Kieran behind a few barrels before they became a target.

"Alright boys kill these sons of bitches!" shouted a powerful voice. Cassidy noted that these unfriendly visitors couldn't possibly be lawmen. This must be a direct attack against their gang.

Angry foes were quickly upon them, shooting from several angles. She fired back with her pistol, as did the rest of the O'Driscolls, but they were at a disadvantage. Leaving cover meant getting shot or even killed.

"Who the hell is that?!" Kieran asked fearfully, shooting randomly into the open space. He had worthless aim, it almost made Cassidy want to laugh in the middle of a firefight. She was a decent shot, but far from perfect.

Cassidy took a peek between the barrels they were hiding behind. She immediately recognized one of them as Dutch Van der Linde. Her father's long-time rival, those two hated each other with as much passion as an outlaw can muster. She'd only heard of him since Colm kept her hidden from him, knowing what Dutch might do if he ever found out about her. Nothing would stop him from protecting his only living legacy, the one person who could keep the O'Driscolls going once he was gone.

"It's fucking Van der Linde and his boys!" she shouted angrily. This wasn't a fight they could win, Dutch's men moved quicker and shot better than everyone on her side. Colm always told her to look after herself first. "We ain't winning this, follow me or die here with the others!" She burst into a sprint towards her horse, not bothering to wait for Kieran's response. She didn't really care what happened to him anyway.

They rode away from the fight unnoticed, leaving behind the strangers who gave their lives to a man who probably didn't know their names. Cold-heartedness was the way of the O'Driscolls now and forever. Nothing could change that.

**…**

Cassidy grasped the reins tightly, trying to make out the snow-covered path they were following. The horse was too tired to gallop after a solid ten minutes. She was beginning to worry about the Van der Linde gang catching up with them. Would they shoot her and Kieran without hesitation, or take them both hostage? She didn't intend on finding out.

"You really think everyone back there is dead?" Kieran asked softly, gripping her shoulders instead of her waist. He felt a bit awkward to be holding onto a woman from behind, considering most real men would insist on taking the reins.

"Half of our boys were too drunk or too cold to put up a fight, and Van der Linde's men? Hell, we didn't stand a chance. You should be thanking me, Duffy." She partially looked back at him, giving him a familiar judgemental look. Cassidy was the sort of woman that men wanted to please for some unknown reason. She wasn't a rare beauty by any means, she was resourceful, strong, yet mean and wicked. Her chocolate brown hair was pinned back on one side, resting just below her shoulders. Colm said her ocean-like eyes were the prettiest thing about her since she got them from him.

Kieran frowned to himself when she turned away. He didn't like most of the men in their gang, but he didn't think they deserved to die like that. "I know… thank you, really."

Cassidy didn't respond, she lifted her chin up towards the sky, hearing an oncoming sound from behind. It was hard to hear anything because of the powerful winds. She looked behind them to see the Van der Linde gang on their trail.

"Fuck… look, Kieran, don't take this personally, alright?" she said with fake sympathy for him.

"What?!" he yelped as Cassidy shoved him off the horse, hoping it would allow her to escape certain death. The mount sped up, not by much. She shot a quick glance back at Kieran, who was being tied up by a gunslinger with dark skin and long black hair. That's when she noticed another man following her closely with a lasso in his hand.

"Come on…" she mumbled angrily to herself. "I promise you, I ain't worth it!" she yelled at whoever was chasing her. Her horse was slowing down again, she was about to draw her weapon when a rope wrapped tightly around her stomach, dragging her onto the freezing ground. She was met with a rough landing and a mouthful of snow, frostbite would kick in soon at this point.

The man forcefully tied her hands behind her back. "You're coming with me, lady…" he said, sounding a lot tougher than her previous company. She tried squirming, it was pointless, she probably wasn't much more than half his size.

"You've made that much clear by now," she answered, nearly spitting out her words. Her captor tossed her on the back of his horse and got moving quickly. There're few positions as uncomfortable as the one she was currently in. "If you let me go, I'll consider not killing you the first chance I get."

He chuckled at what he perceived as an empty threat. After all, she wasn't in much of a position to be saying something like that. It was a typical O'Driscoll attitude, stupid and furious.

"Yeah? Good luck with that," he said with a smirk on his face. To him, it seemed foolish to take this woman who was probably nothing more than a whore that the O'Driscolls purchased. Dutch had insisted on getting her and the boy since they could have useful information. His leader was always looking for ways to mess with Colm.

"If you is planning on using us as bait I'd rethink that. Colm ain't got no shortage of replacements," she added, her voice sounding strained from discomfort.

"Naw, we got other plans for you two… what's your name girl?" he asked with his eyes on the abandoned mining town that was his temporary home.

"Does it matter?" she retorted, huffing when he scooped her up onto his back, tossing her carelessly next to Kieran. She finally got a look at that man who had taken what little freedom she had. He was rugged with greenish-blue eyes and dirty blonde hair that sat under his black hat. Cassidy narrowed her stare in a menacing way, a wild spark in her glare. "What happened to your face, mister? Looks like you got hit by a train." She was clearly mocking him.

He ignored her, turning to Dutch and a few other boys who came to inspect their prisoners. "This one seems like more trouble than she's worth, Dutch," he stated, feeling quite irritated by the mouth she had on her.

"We'll see about that, Arthur…" Dutch responded, looking down at the woman whose cheeks were flushed from the cold. He expected her to be a bit more dolled up like most working girls. There wasn't a dot of powder or blush on her freckled face. "Welcome to your new home, hope the both of you are real happy here."

Arthur picked up Kieran, someone Cassidy didn't recognize did the same to her. She avoided looking at Kieran entirely after leaving him to die back there. If she had to do it again, she would.

"Want me to make them talk?" Arthur asked.

"No, all we'll get is lies. Charles, Bill, tie these maggots up someplace safe. We'll get them hungry first. From my experience, folks start talking once they start starving…." He turned his back to them, letting his boys do the work. "Can't believe it, two O'Driscolls here in my camp!"

"I ain't an O'Driscoll, I hate that man!" Kieran cried out as they were forcefully guided elsewhere.

Cassidy kept her mouth shut. She wasn't a person who was easily broken, the O'Driscolls were always hungry these days. These men didn't have a clue as to who she was, and hopefully it would stay that way.

Two days later…

"You two must be getting real hungry by now… how about you tell us where Colm is for a slice of bread?" Arthur questioned them like they didn't even possess half a brain. It'd been like this for what felt a lot longer than two days to Cassidy. Whoever was told to watch her and Kieran would either pester them or fall asleep, depends on which of them was doing the job. Arthur always had something to say.

"Or you could shut up for a goddamn second, do all old men talk this much or is it just you?" she replied, leaning towards him. Her wrists were sore from being tied up for this long.

"Watch your mouth or I'll tell Dutch you know nothing. Then I'd finally get some peace and quiet." Arthur got up from his chair, towering over her. Cassidy rolled her eyes; big men like him had more bark than bite.

She looked over at the commotion going on outside, it looked like their gang was getting ready to move on. Miss Grimshaw was barking orders at a bunch of brittle-boned women. She'd learned most of their names from overhearing conversations or bothering one of the guards for answers. The weakest link so far had been Micah, he'd been more willing to chat.

"You going back west?" she asked calmly since she was genuinely curious.

Arthur paused, wondering if he should be telling her about their plans. "No."

"East?"

Another pause, this time with a sigh. "No."

"North?"

"No!"

"You gonna answer my question or do I need to keep going?"

He finally caved in. "East, near a town called Valentine."

She wasn't satisfied yet. "Why?"

He shot her a death stare as a warning. Arthur Morgan didn't have much patience for anyone. "I ain't fond of hitting ladies. Don't test me."

"Oh I'm a lady now? I thought I was O'Driscoll scum."

Kieran finally interrupted since this conversation was ruining his attempt to fall asleep. "Come on Cassidy… you heard what he said."

Arthur perked up at the sound of her name. "Looks like you do have a name."

She mouthed an insult at Kieran, who was sitting directly across from her.

"And what would that be?" asked Dutch as he entered, followed by an Irish redhead wearing a finely made coat and scarf. She didn't fit in with this crowd.

"Cassidy," Arthur said while nodding.

"Cassidy huh? Well, I suppose it's about time we learned your name since you'll be travelling with us," he commented, tilting his head towards the wagons.

"You should leave that dirty little minx behind, she's just an O'Driscoll whore!" the woman behind Dutch shouted hatefully.

Cassidy flashed her a cruel smile, the ends of her mouth curving in a mischievous manner. "If that's what I am, what does that make you?"

The woman was about to respond but Dutch put his hand up. "Why don't you go cool off, Molly." It was a command, not a request and she did as she was told. Cassidy pegged her as unstable right there and then.

Dutch got down to her level. "I got a feeling about you, Cassidy. I can tell you'll prove yourself to me. Time will tell.

A/N: Hey guys, some of you might be familiar with my other book "A Man's Pride". I decided to write this story because looking back I had all these unused ideas for a new OC in RDR2. I'm planning on focusing on the O'Driscoll plot of the game.

Looking for some reader input… who do you want Cassidy's love interest to be?

Disclaimer: I do not own RDR.


	2. Chapter 2

Cassidy was trained to be a cold-hearted bitch by Colm. He never loved her like fathers are supposed to love their daughters, that was made clear from a young age. She was practically a female version of him, besides for being an extreme smart-mouth and a suppressed optimist. Despite all her snide comments, she was a person with a steadily positive attitude that didn't falter in a bad situation. Even while she was tied up in the back of a creaky wagon with her father's worst enemies surrounding her, she appreciated how the spring sun felt against her skin after escaping that awful blizzard. Her cold hands were coming back to life and she could finally see all of her surroundings. And she wasn't dead, that's something to be happy about in her opinion.

"Are you… smiling?" Kieran asked her after staring at the floor for the past hour. He never saw the bright side of things.

She raised an eyebrow at his nosiness. "Are you as stupid as you look?"

No response from him, just the hurt look of a child who can't say a thing without being scolded.

"You sure talk like an O'Driscoll," Hosea said from up front. They'd only just met, Cassidy found him to be irritating. He came off as a know-it-all who should be retired by now.

"You sure talk like an old man who can't keep his thoughts to himself," she snapped back.

Arthur grumbled a complaint. He comforted himself with the image of pushing Cassidy off the wagon and into the mud. "Shut up back there!"

As always, Cassidy jumped at the chance to insult him. "Sorry, I'll quiet down... must be hard to navigate them roads when you're about as smart as a donkey."

He had enough at that exact moment. She was a wasp who followed him wherever he went, preparing for a sting. He stopped the horses, causing the two other wagons behind them to stop.

"What's going on up there?!" Pearson asked impatiently. Everyone had their eyes on Arthur.

He spun around suddenly, grabbing Cassidy by her hair hard enough to make her wince. He tied a piece of cloth around her face, covering her mouth so it would muffle her speech. He pinched her cheek, drawing a bit of blood from her soft flesh. "Don't make me hurt you, girl."

She huffed against the cloth, staring back at him until he continued driving. If she didn't hate Arthur before, she sure did now.

"Well, that worked," Hosea said with a short snicker.

Micah rode up beside their wagon, wondering what caused the delay. "That girl giving you trouble?"

"What do you think, cowpoke?" Arthur was tired of talking now.

"She can ride with me if she keeps acting up…." Micah added. Cassidy shifted her gaze towards him, their eyes meeting. He smiled, not a kind smile, it was the smile of a man who knows what he wants. There was something she liked about him, he was not in the slightest way a handsome person. Cassidy never cared about looks anyhow, it was his naturally mean spirit that interested her. She could tell from their limited interactions that he was just like her, looking out for himself above all else.

"That ain't necessary, Micah," Arthur said, ending their exchange.

Micah let them be after sneaking one last look at Cassidy. He was trying to be subtle, but everyone noticed his leering.

All four of them stayed quiet for a while until Hosea broke the silent spell. He twisted half his body backwards, examining Cassidy. "You ready to behave yourself?"

She nodded since she hated being silenced like this, it was degrading. Hosea untied the cloth, still facing her afterwards.

"How old are you?" he asked her. Arthur listened in, Hosea had a way of getting answers from people without acting tough.

"Twenty-four."

Hosea paused, careful of how he was wording his next question. "What were you doing with them O'Driscolls?"

She scowled at his investigation into who she was. "Surviving,' she said bluntly.

He took that as a sign that he wasn't getting anything else out of her for the time being. Hosea and Arthur shared lighthearted conversation for the remainder of their ride. Cassidy didn't care enough to listen, she focused on the sounds of nature. Birds chirping, trees moving with the breeze and water flowing downstream. She only felt this safe in her own head, when no one was bothering her.

They arrived at a vast area on a cliff hidden by forestry, their new and improved campsite. Cassidy observed how efficient everyone was when they worked together. It would've taken the O'Driscolls ten times longer to get this done. Kieran and she were tied to separate trees, far enough from each other so they couldn't talk without someone noticing. Everyone was occupied when a blonde woman with a resentful frown approached Cassidy.

"Your boys killed my husband," she said shakily.

Cassidy hesitated, she knew this woman's face from the farmhouse they robbed. She hadn't been there herself, she only scouted the place and told some boys to check it out. A widow stood before her and still she didn't really care.

"I guess you should've locked your door tighter." Cassidy's tone was emotionless and unnerving.

In one harsh motion, the widow kicked her with what felt like all her strength. She curled up her body, absorbing the pain with a groan. The crazed widow was about to charge again until a pretty lady with black hair pulled her away.

"Sadie, come with me… she ain't worth it," she said, guiding her to a tent.

"I'll kill every last one of them," Sadie said while sobbing.

Once Cassidy had recovered from the blow, Arthur of all people appeared with a drink in his hand. "Drink this unless you're in the mood to die of thirst," he said.

She eagerly took a sip of his coffee, somewhat relieving her parched throat. "I'd say thank you but I probably wouldn't mean it."

He held back a grin, that's a line he had used on several occasions. "You gonna use that big mouth of yours to say something useful yet?"

She glared at him, her eyes sparkling in the sun. "No."

"I guess I'll try you again in a few days, you'll be starving by then…"

**Two days later…**

The hunger was agony now. Cassidy was genuinely finding the sight of live chickens appetizing at this point. Her stomach ached for food and her mind felt just as empty. She couldn't focus on her thoughts, all she felt was the craving. Maybe Dutch was right, starving was more effective than physical torture. Yet she and Kieran still hadn't revealed anything besides minor details about themselves. Dutch was growing bored of this waiting game, he wanted action and more than anything he wanted to take Colm down.

It was a sunny afternoon when Arthur approached Kieran, Cassidy watched diligently. She'd kill Kieran herself if he said anything.

"You got some speaking to do… about that old gang of yours," Arthur said as he came to a stop.

Kieran went into full panic mode right away. "I don't know nothing! Please…. I'm so damn hungry."

Arthur pressed his lips into a tight line, he didn't understand why anyone would protect Colm unless they were afraid of him. "That's what I thought."

"Whoa hold your horses there, it seems the cat has got our friend's tongue. I was thinking Mr. Williamson here could have a word," Dutch announced with a lively attitude, his hands waving around in amusement. Cassidy became more alert; the situation was about to escalate which meant she was next.

"You ready to talk boy?" Bill asked aggressively, spitting as he spoke.

Kieran avoided looking them in the eye, he was quick to answer, too quick. He made a bad liar. "I told you all, I don't know nothing. I hate Colm as much as you do, ain't got a reason to lie!'

"Horseshit! Tell us the truth!" Bill said before turning to Dutch. "What do you want me to do?"

"Hurt him so the next time he opens his mouth it's to tell us what's going on!" He stopped, leaning in closer to Kieran. "Ah, who am I kidding? This one ain't talking. Screw it, let's just have some fun. Geld him."

Bill ran off to get the pliers, making an excited holler as he hurried. Dutch dropped Kieran's pants to the ground, laughing as he continued to mock him. Cassidy couldn't stop herself from chuckling at Kieran's hysterical cries. She figured they were trying to scare the boy, and it was working. Kieran was begging for mercy. Bill brought down the pliers near his crotch, snipping right in front of him.

"You sick bastards, what you want from me?!" Kieran yelled out, trying to back up even though there was nowhere to go.

"Well, you are going to talk. The only question is now or after we get these little fellers off?" Dutch said with a sick smile on his face.

Cassidy wasn't laughing anymore, she saw the look in Kieran's eye. He was about to open his mouth.

"Okay! Okay! Listen, I know where Colm is hiding… and he don't like you neither. He's at Six Point Cabin, I can take you there," Kieran said.

Bill was about to back off until Dutch motioned for him to stay where he is. "What about the girl?" He nodded towards Cassidy.

Kieran glanced at her, his eyes wide with fear. There was no solution here, he'd piss someone off either way. He figured staying on Dutch's good side was a safer bet. "Uh, what about her?" he asked, playing stupid. Cassidy nervously bit the inside of her cheek, this fool was about to get her killed or worse.

"Who is she?" Dutch asked calmly. This wasn't vital information, he just wanted to know.

"No one, just some girl we picked up a few months back," Kieran answered.

Dutch signalled for Bill to get closer, the cold metal touching his skin now. Kieran let out a whimper before revealing the truth. "Wait! She…. she's an O'Driscoll."

"You think I'm playing around here?" Dutch asked quietly.

"No! I-I mean a real O'Driscoll. Cassidy O'Driscoll, Colm's daughter."

Cassidy squeezed her eyes shut. She was officially screwed.

Dutch laughed in disbelief. "Colm don't have a daughter."

"He does, she's it. Only us O'Driscolls know about her," Kieran responded.

A tense silence settled in the air as they stared at Cassidy, who was burning her eyes into Kieran. She couldn't wait to get her hands on him now.

"So you're telling me Colm has got a secret daughter who's sitting right over there?" Dutch pointed at her, this seemed impossible to him. It was an opportunity for revenge served on a silver platter.

Kieran nodded. "Yeah… she's in charge when he's gone. We're talking high up on the ladder."

Dutch took his time walking towards Cassidy, crossing his arms when he reached her. "That true?"

Cassidy deliberately blinked, looking up at him with her usual confidence. "True or not, it's been said and you can believe what you will. It's not like I can prove it either way."

Dutch smirked, noting how she had Colm's eyes and the same dark brown hair that he used to have. He turned away on the heel of his boot. "Arthur, you take our friend and some boys to Six Point Cabin… I need some time to think."

Arthur finally peeled his gaze from Cassidy. The Van der Linde and O'Driscoll feud just became a lot more complicated, he couldn't decide if this was a good or bad thing. "Sure, I'll see if I can dig up something on the girl while I'm there…" He cut Kieran loose, dragging him by his dirty shirt towards the horses.

Cassidy was left to anxiously await Dutch's decision on what to do with her. She tried to think of the best possible outcomes while watching clouds move through a perfectly blue sky.

**…**

The sun was setting by the time Cassidy woke up from an uncomfortable nap. She'd managed to catch some shuteye after listening to Hosea and Dutch argue in a nearby tent. From what she heard, it sounded like Dutch wanted to use her for revenge while Hosea was trying to talk him out of it. She couldn't imagine why Hosea felt the need to protect her, if the roles were reversed Colm wouldn't hesitate. He never did, every choice he made was based on impulse, a habit he passed on to his daughter.

Kieran had returned with Arthur within a few hours and wasn't tied to a tree anymore. Apparently he'd done something to make people hate him less, though trust was another story. He couldn't look at a gun without someone losing it at him. Cassidy resented him even more for his freedom. Rats in the O'Driscoll gang were hung, sometimes Colm would kill them slowly if he was in a bad mood.

Cassidy was fourteen when Colm made her watch a torture session for the first time. The man had told the law about some bank job beforehand, a few of their boys were killed. He only lasted a day before dying from blood loss. His screams haunted Cassidy for a while, eventually they became background noise.

The sound of someone approaching caught her attention. Micah took a knee in front of her, setting his white hat down on the ground. They exchanged a timid smile, which was out of character for both of them.

"I don't envy you," he said gently.

Cassidy stopped smiling, she preferred when people got straight to the point. "Why?"

"Colm don't seem like the fatherly type."

She weakly shrugged with her confined shoulders. "Being an outlaw and having a kind daddy don't mix all that well."

He chuckled, nodding agreeably. "You're right about that, O'Driscoll… Dutch sent me, says you're allowed to clean up if someone watches and you can eat something. I guess he thinks starving you is a waste."

She raised her eyebrows, feeling surprised by the humane treatment. Micah reached behind her back, untying the rope around her wrists. Her skin was stinging with relief. People in camp gave her all sorts of unpleasant looks as she was guided to the river. No one looked quite as pissed as Sadie did, her fists practically shaking with anger.

Micah gave Cassidy a bar of soap, a brush and a fresh set of clothes from her bag. She started undressing when he turned his back to her, giving her some privacy.

"You know I lived with twenty men before I came here, right?" she asked, stepping into the cool lake.

Micah took a quick peek when he thought it was safe, enjoying the sight of her curvy, toned figure. "So?" he asked directly.

She started scrubbing the dirt off till a new layer of skin was visible. "So I don't care who sees what."

Her honesty aroused Micah, he was used to constant rejection from women he called prudes. "You should take privacy where you can get it, O'Driscoll. There ain't much of it here neither." He usually would've jumped at the chance to sleep with a girl like her, but Dutch wouldn't be happy about that, and he was the boss.

Cassidy didn't respond, instead she dunked her head underwater to wash her greasy hair. Once she was done, she caught a glimpse of her reflection on the water. She thought that she hadn't looked this well in weeks, her skin was glowing and her lips were pink. After she was somewhat dry, she put on a pair of slim-fitting charcoal trousers, a white blouse and a cropped black blazer. Black and white were the O'Driscoll colours, she felt like herself again.

"Turn around if you must," she said to Micah, who was smoking a pipe.

He shifted himself to face her, blowing out smoke from his mouth. "I see the resemblance to Colm in that getup. Gotta say you're a bit easier on the eyes. Come on then."

They walked side by side, taking their time. Cassidy thought now might be a good time to see if Micah could be useful to her. "You got any clue what Dutch is planning on doing with me?"

He sighed since he was expecting that question. "Not sure… ain't gonna kill you if that's what you're asking. Not his style to murder folks like that." He thought to himself before continuing. "Look, if you play your cards right, you could run with us. We make a lot more cash than your boys."

She shot him a dismissive look. "Why would I wanna start at the bottom of the chain here when I'm on top somewhere else? Save your advice for that coward Kieran, I ain't interested."

"Just think about it, we could use someone like you around here," he said.

Their talk came to an end when they entered camp right by Arthur's tent, who was wiping his face with a wet cloth.

"I hope you ain't getting too comfortable here, O'Driscoll. You and I got some catching up to do tomorrow," Arthur said, blocking her path.

She scoffed at him. "I got nothing to tell you fools. Questioning me won't be anything but a waste of time."

Arthur stepped out of the way, motioning for her to keep on walking in a patronizing way. "Yeah? We'll see 'bout that."

Cassidy didn't sleep well that night. There was a chill in the air and some drunk old man wouldn't stop singing by the campfire. It wasn't just that, she was beginning to worry that Kieran had revealed more than just her identity.

**The next morning… **

"Get up," Arthur commanded while kicking Cassidy's leg.

She groggily greeted him with a glare. "I'd rather wake up in a burning house than see your face first thing in the morning," she mumbled.

A laugh came from nearby that belonged to a gunslinger with barely healed scratches on his face. Cassidy had heard the others call him John or Marston. "Don't give me that look, Arthur. You've said worse to me," John exclaimed jokingly.

"Get outta here and do something useful for once!" Arthur said as he waved him off.

Cassidy gave Arthur a smug look once he was gone. "Colm told me you folks don't torture people, that true?"

Arthur put his hands on his gun belt, leaning on his right leg. "We've got other ways of making fellers talk. You'll see soon enough."

She smiled daringly at him. "You must be used to people being afraid of you, huh? That tough big man act would scare me if I hadn't killed men like you before."

His patience was being tested once again by her never-ending threats and ridicule. Something had to be done if he was going to get answers from her.

"I've heard more than enough talk from you, O'Driscoll…" he said slowly. He cut her ropes loose, shoving her towards the edge of camp and a decent sized cliff.

Cassidy looked down, her eyes widening as reality set in. Was he about to hang her? It didn't seem likely, not after what Micah said. She realized that wasn't his plan when placed his lasso around her, securing it tightly underneath her arms. She wasn't expecting what came next.

"You've got thirty seconds," Arthur stated harshly.

"For wha-" she didn't have the chance to finish speaking before Arthur pushed her off the cliff, sending her flying down only to be painfully stopped midair by the rope he tied around her. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably as her legs dangled. "What the fuck are you doing you crazy bastard?! Pull me up!" she screamed up at Arthur, who was supporting her weight with ease.

"Thirty seconds for you to agree to start talking or I'll let go!" he shouted back.

She looked down at the distant ground, imagining what would happen if she were dropped. The fall wasn't long enough to kill her, though injury would be impossible to avoid. Most likely she'd end up with two broken legs, something she couldn't afford right now. Also, Cassidy was terrified of heights. It was hard to think straight from this position.

"Fine! I'll talk… just pull me up!" she yelled, sounding desperate. Arthur delayed bringing her back by a few seconds just to mess with her. She exhaled once he started pulling her up.

She fell back onto the grass once she reached the top, nearly hyperventilating to recover from panic. Her fears were something she never shared, she felt embarrassed by her own vulnerability. When she managed to sit up, Arthur was pointing his revolver at her.

"You lie to me or go back on your word and I'll make you wish that I had dropped you, you hear me woman?" he asked, his voice rumbling like thunder.

She swallowed her pride at that moment, there was nowhere to hide now. Colm never said what he'd do if she betrayed him, still, she knew that it wouldn't be pretty. "I get it, ask away."

Arthur put away his gun, keeping his feet firmly planted in place. "We're gonna play a game, I ask you a question and you say yes or no, I'll start with an easy one… are you Colm's daughter?"

She took a quick glance at camp, everyone was staring. Dutch was watching from close by with a blank expression. "Yes," she said.

"Are you in charge of the O'Driscoll Boys when he's not around?" he asked calmly now.

"Yes." She paused when Arthur nodded at her, urging for an explanation. "I keep them from burning down camp or falling asleep on watch duty. Sometimes I'll scout for robberies or whatever lead I can find. Colm don't listen to my advice most of the time."

"Does Colm care about you at all?" Dutch asked, moving closer to join the interrogation.

Cassidy lowered her head, feeling uncomfortable with having her whole life on display. "I don't really know how to answer that, I serve a purpose I suppose. He's been training me to take over once he's gone. He says his life would mean nothing if someone ain't there to keep his gang alive."

Dutch and Arthur share an uneasy look, this meant she could pose a real threat to them if she were released or escaped.

"Is that what you want, to be the next Colm O'Driscoll?" Arthur questioned, emphasizing her surname with disgust.

"Do I even have that choice? Did any of you decide to be outlaws?" she responded, regaining her attitude.

Arthur squatted so he could see her reaction to the final question. "You know where Colm hides his money, don't you?"

A/N: Anyone else find Cassidy super entertaining when she's all psycho? Lol writing her dialogue is probably the most fun I have while writing this story. Anyways, thanks for the comments and feedback! I love hearing from you guys. BTW, Arthur will NOT get TB in this… also thinking about cutting out the whole downfall of the gang, I honestly want to change things up so the main conflict is between them and the O'Driscolls, any thoughts on that?

Also, I will be making Arthur the main love interest in this, though that will be progressing slowly for obvious reasons.

Disclaimer: I do not own RDR.


	3. Chapter 3

"She's lying," Dutch stated with frustration for the third time. He was fiddling with one of his shiny rings with his elbows resting on what passed for a meeting table. Arthur, Hosea, Dutch and Micah had been discussing what Cassidy told them about the O'Driscoll Boys having almost no money left after some local lawmen forced them from the West. No one bought it, Colm never gave up that easily when money was involved.

"Well that much is obvious," Hosea responded, glancing back at their prisoner. He had trouble understanding her, she was hiding behind a hateful personality that felt unnatural to him. He saw a girl who was grasping for some sense of identity until it corrupted her core. Of course, he figured that wouldn't be easily explained to his current company.

"She ain't gonna talk, she'd be more useful to us dead I reckon," Arthur commented, flicking ash off the end of his cigarette. He had no sympathy for her unlike Kieran, at least he'd only been with the O'Driscolls for two months. Something about Cassidy brought out the worst in him, even if he wasn't much different at her age or now on his worst days. She was a reminder that he wasn't above the people he looked down upon, and that angered him.

"Simmer down there, cowpoke. I say we keep her around… imagine how Colm would feel if he found out his daughter is on our side? We just gotta show her that she can have a better life with us," Micah added zealously.

Dutch scratched his chin thoughtfully, could Micah have a point? Colm would lose it if his only legacy turned against him and he'd never see it coming. The thought made him smile slightly.

"I like how you're thinking… still, we can't trust her yet. I'll go have a word with her, see if I can't have a civil conversation with her," Dutch said. He was off before Arthur could object to the idea. He ran his fingers through his black hair, feeling the stiff texture of pomade. He grabbed a stool and took a seat across from Cassidy, giving her a small smirk instead of a harsh glare.

"Colm told me you were a persistent sort of man, you'll chase a dream until you've sunk your claws into it," Cassidy said abruptly. "If you intend to charm me, don't bother."

"Charm? No Miss O'Driscoll, I just want to chat. Is there anything wrong with a bit of harmless chatter between a man and a woman?" he asked even though he'd already answered his own question through his tone.

She raised an attentive eyebrow, suddenly interested in where this conversation was going. "Go on then, it's not like I have anything else to do."

Dutch smirked again, feeling satisfied with himself. "I've known your father for a very long time. How come we've never met?"

A memory popped into her head. A tall, dark-haired man patting her on the head before disappearing into a dimly lit cabin with a younger version of her father. That was Dutch, no doubt about it. She must've been around fourteen then if she had the timeline right.

"We have once, maybe twice. Colm told you I belonged to one of his boys I think," she said.

Dutch thought hard about this, he had a faded recollection about a young girl being at Colm's camp when they were still working together. He never questioned her presence or bothered to speak with her.

"So you grew up around all those… fellers, did Colm keep you safe?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know what might've happened to her.

Something shifted in her blue eyes, the look of a woman who judged her own experiences because she didn't like to be a victim. "I think you know safety is bullshit in our line of work. And if you're asking if any O'Driscoll boys forced themselves on me then that's a foolish question. It started before I was a woman and stopped when I became one."

Dutch frowned, even he knew that wasn't something anyone should have to go through, O'Driscoll or not.

"Did… did you ever meet a woman named Annabelle?" he asked softly, his voice sounding mournful.

Cassidy froze, she knew that woman. She remembered the beautiful red locks that framed her sharp jawline, and those sly green eyes. Annabelle was like a more beautiful version of Dutch's current lover, Molly. She could still hear the posh accent of the city girl echoing like a ghost from her past. She was the first woman Cassidy met who wasn't a whore, who showed genuine kindness towards her before Colm slaughtered her like a farm animal.

The dynamics between Cassidy and Dutch shifted ever so slightly, the sturdy wall that divided them began to lose its strength.

"She was one of yours?" Cassidy finally asked after a prolonged pause.

Dutch nodded weakly, it was painful for him to remember the only woman he'd ever truly loved. "I had a special place in my heart for that wonderful creature… I'll never forgive Colm for what he did to her."

She scoffed harshly, irritated by Dutch acting like he hadn't murdered Colm's brother a week before Annabelle was killed. "You must've known that Colm takes the saying an eye for an eye literally."

Dutch grimaced. "Your Uncle attacked me, Annabelle was innocent. That's not what I call fair."

For once, she agreed with him. "I suppose that's true, she… she was a good woman, she offered to help me leave Colm if she escaped." She left out the part where Colm killed her after Cassidy begged him not to. That was the only time she felt sickened by the man who raised her. She knew he was a monster, and that meant his killer blood ran through her veins. A seed of doubt was planted deep within her that day, eagerly awaiting a drop of water or even a glimpse of sunlight to grow into something extraordinary. She felt that hopeful craving in the pit of her stomach as she looked at Dutch now.

Dutch's lips parted, he sharply inhaled. He felt overwhelmed by the reminder of how kind-hearted Annabelle was. She was too good for his world. "I imagine your life would've been much different if that happened."

Cassidy hummed in agreeance, refusing to indulge the idea of another path. This was her reality now, there was no way to undo years of bad deeds. Was redemption even possible for her? Maybe, but she didn't feel like trying that hard, at least not yet.

"Look, I know you've got every reason to hate me and just about every member of our big ol' family. Trust don't come easy to me or you, but I think we can find a way to… coexist. What if I agree to let you walk freely around camp if you tell us the truth about Colm's money?" Dutch asked, eagerly awaiting her response afterwards.

Cassidy thought this through carefully, she saw this as a potential opportunity to escape. It was a risky move to attempt a getaway when Dutch was compromising with her. She knew that failing would be better than staying here like a submissive child.

"I'll need a horse then," she said.

**… **

Cassidy rode on the back of Arthur's horse between John and Charles, holding the map Colm had given her before he left for Six Point Cabin. He distinctively marked the spot where he was planning on hiding the money, though she couldn't be certain if it was still there. She slipped it back into her pocket when she was certain they were heading the right way.

"How much money does your daddy have anyway?" John asked abruptly.

She sent him an unimpressed look. "Call him Colm unless you want another scar on that ugly face of yours. To answer your question, I haven't got the slightest clue. Colm don't share such details with anyone, including me. He said as long as we've got booze and food then numbers should be the last thing on our minds."

Arthur glanced back at her, inserting himself into the conversation. "I guess being a selfish bastard makes you stupider than most folks."

Cassidy smiled cautiously at his comment. She always hated how Colm was so protective over his money. Without thinking, she moved her hand from Arthur's shoulder to his side. He internally stiffened at her touch, shocked by his own reaction and shameful of how it made him feel. He excused it by telling himself it was primal.

"I don't get you O'Driscoll. Why are you helping us out? Colm hates rats more than Dutch does," Arthur said, trying to distract himself.

"Self-preservation is the O'Driscoll way, you know. Colm ain't gonna be pleased with me for betraying him, but he'd be even more angry if I got myself hurt or killed. Then I'd be useless to him," she answered. Saying this out loud made her think about how Colm would threaten to feed her to the wolves whenever she sprained an ankle or took a bullet in the arm or leg. Injury is weakness and weakness is as useful as a dying animal, he'd say.

Charles, who was as quiet as one man can be, finally spoke. "Sounds like you're less of a prisoner with us than you were with Colm."

Cassidy didn't like to be the subject of anyone's observations, especially when it was personal. Her anger boiled like a forgotten kettle, steaming past its own limit. "It speaks? Here I was starting to think you took a vow of silence."

Charles didn't answer, he shook his head to himself. It took a lot more than that to faze him.

"How far is it now, O'Driscoll?" John asked impatiently.

She checked the map again, pinpointing their current location with her index finger. "Take a left into the forest up here… the money should be a few miles out from Six Point Cabin."

The forest was dense, flies whizzing about in search of manure or an animal corpse. Sun rays snuck their way through small gaps between leaves, blinding you if you looked directly up. Cassidy was secretly hoping they'd bump into an O'Driscoll patrol since she couldn't possibly outrun these three on her own. To her disappointment, the only signs of life were birds singing and deer prancing away from them.

She scanned the area for one of her father's usual hiding spots. He liked caves and hollow logs most of the time. After a few minutes of searching, she saw a log covered in moss, old enough that the grass was covering its sides. She jumped off Arthur's horse without a word.

"Where do you think you're going?" Arthur asked, sounding annoyed as he followed her closely.

"Keep following and you'll see," she said. She squatted, reaching inside to feel spiderwebs before touching a metal box, which she dragged out. Arthur firmly pushed her aside, preventing her from touching the lockbox. She knew Colm kept a gun in there, she was planning on using it to steal one of their horses. All her plans to escape felt hopeless, but something was stopping her from putting her usual amount of effort in. Not fear, a new feeling, one that made her uncomfortable.

Arthur shot the lock, inspecting what treasure Colm was hiding. He put a black pistol into his spare holster, then digging through a few shiny gold bars and some cash. "Looks like there's a few thousand here… not bad. I was expecting more, is this all?" he questioned without looking at Cassidy.

"Looks like it…" She faintly frowned. Colm talked about money like they had plenty. This was hardly enough to keep the gang going, and if he found out that Dutch had stolen it, he'd start a war between their gangs.

Colm had been a bad man since before she was born. To now find out he was a liar filled Cassidy with a severe sense of disappointment. That seed of doubt was on the edge of flourishing after witnessing how the Van der Linde gang operates. They were thieves with honour, unlike her old gang.

**That evening… **

Cassidy stood tall on the edge of camp, watching a blood orange sunset cast a warm glow onto the valley below her. She knew they were watching her like a hawk since she was now allowed to walk around camp. At least she was away from that damn tree, she figured. She wanted to feel the urge to run, to fight, to hate the people who surround her. That fiery passion was fading now, and even she couldn't explain why. Maybe a taste of a different life was sweet after being stuck for so long. Maybe it was just a phase, one she'd grow out of once she returned to the O'Driscoll Boys. For now, she was pleased with the view.

"I'm glad to see that you listened to my advice," Micah said, joining her after pretending like he wasn't watching her from afar moments ago.

"At least part of it. I'd be a fool to not survive this… situation," she said, eyeing him up.

He slithered his hand onto her shoulder, purposely swiping his thumb along her exposed skin. "I can help you do more than survive, you know."

She smiled slyly, playing hard to get came naturally to her. "Careful now, Mr. Bell. I don't think your boss would approve of you getting cozy with an O'Driscoll."

He backed away gradually, taking a few more steps backwards. "You'll be needing a new last name soon then."

Cassidy gulped once he was gone. She knew something was bound to go wrong once Colm figured out where she was, if he doesn't already know.

A/N: Thanks for all the feedback last chapter! I think the point about Arthur seeming out of character actually made sense to me… I am trying to have him and Cassidy start at a low point before changing into something else. I'm going to be more mindful of Arthur's behaviour from now on! But please be patient, this is the Arthur who did a lot of bad shit in chapter 2 of the game so he's not an angel for sure. Please don't hesitate to keep on posting feedback, it's always helpful to me and I don't take it personally.

Disclaimer: I do not own RDR.


	4. Chapter 4

Cassidy's newfound freedom amongst the Van der Linde Gang made life at camp much more bearable. Miss Grimshaw was quick to force her to work, sternly assigning her to washing duty, which was the least popular chore. Cassidy didn't particularly enjoy cleaning clothes that belonged to people who mostly hated or ignored her. Still, it was better than nothing, so she didn't resist.

She was hard at work one cloudy, cool afternoon when Tilly, Mary-Beth and Karen gathered in a circle nearby, keeping themselves busy with sewing. Their conversation was rather dull until they lowered their voices, whispering excitedly since it was their designated time for gossip.

"You hear Molly losing it at Dutch last night?" Karen asked, looking out for the redhead as she spoke.

Tilly hummed knowingly. "That girl is a fool… I think Dutch is gonna find himself a new lady soon."

Mary-Beth audibly gasped as if she was reading one of her dramatic novels. "Really? I wonder who it'll be…"

"If he had half the brain that he says he's got then he would fuck the O'Driscoll girl. Imagine how pissed Colm would be!" Karen exclaimed, snickering cruelly.

Cassidy stopped what she was doing, contemplating what would happen if she made herself known after that comment. Another major part of her wanted to punch Karen until she shut her loudmouth.

"Nah, that ain't Dutch's style. Besides, I think Micah is already taming that wild horse," Tilly added. The three of them giggled.

"What about Arthur? He seems to be looking at her whenever he thinks no one's watching," Mary-Beth said softly, her eyes on him as he scribbled away in his mysterious notebook.

Karen narrowed her eyes, picturing her suggestion. "There sure are alike… but I got a feeling that Arthur ain't interested in wooing an O'Driscoll. They fight like he's a big bad wolf and she's a conniving little cat!" Her observation was followed by another round of high-pitched giggles.

Mary-Beth was the first to recover from her laughter. "I suppose you're right. Her and Micah, I dunno… seems like a disaster waiting to happen. And she'd be wasting her pretty face on him," she said.

Cassidy grew tired of their childish conversation. She strode boldly by them, letting them know she had heard everything. They went dead silent, only continuing once she was far enough. She sat down by the fire, pinching the bridge of her nose. Cassidy had overworked herself today with little food in her stomach. Sleep was calling to her, but rest would get her in trouble at this time of the day. With the O'Driscolls, she could sleep, drink and lounge around whenever she felt like it, even though she hardly chose to do that. She was beginning to miss that part of her lifestyle. This thought put her in a foul mood.

Her moment of rest was short-lived, someone was rigidly standing in front of her, their arms crossed against their petite frame. She looked up to see Sadie scowling down at her, her dirty blonde hair didn't match her unpleasant expression.

"You and me got some talking to do," Sadie blurted out, still not moving.

Cassidy sighed, dreading whatever lecture was coming. "If that's the case then you best make your point."

Her attitude didn't sit well with Sadie, she huffed before speaking, digging her fingernails into her palms. "I wanna know why that gang of yours goes after innocent folks. I need to know why those bastards ruined _my _life!" She stepped closer now, pointing an accusatory finger at Cassidy.

Cassidy took back some control by standing up before she responded, a smug look on her face that would irritate any reasonably patient person. Sadie was not reasonable, she was a resentful widow who was out for revenge. "It's just how they do things, ain't personal. You got out alive, it could've been worse. It's been worse for others."

"You're a sick bitch, you know that? I'll make sure you're watching when I kill Colm," Sadie said, her voice trembling with rage.

Her threat didn't resonate with Cassidy, her posture was sturdy and her eyes had a hint of boredom in them. She never had much empathy for other women because the O'Driscolls had little use for them unless they were prostitutes. She was the only exception.

"Do what you will with Colm, he's never been a father to me so don't go expecting me to mourn that old bastard," she responded, lazily shrugging her right shoulder.

Sadie stifled a frustrated growl before walking off towards the trees, the only spot where you can find some privacy in camp. Abigail followed her, attempting to calm her with kind words. Cassidy watched as they embraced, startled by the sight of affection being shared between female friends. She felt a longing for change once more that strengthened whatever force was guiding her. Her worldviews were slowly crumbling in this new environment, still, she was trying her best to be the same stubborn O'Driscoll girl that she's always been.

Her moment of reflection ended when Micah approached her, offering her a cigarette with one of his own between his lips. She took it without a word, leaning down when he struck a match for her. The smoke coated her lungs like a familiar sense of relief, her tense shoulders dropped an inch and her jaw loosened. Their eyes finally met when she exhaled smoothly.

"That woman is angry at the world, I wouldn't take it personally," Micah said.

Cassidy raised her eyebrows. "Sure. I suppose I should've known those boys would screw around on that job. Colm's lackeys have a habit of getting… rowdy on a simple robbery." An image of their pre-robbery ritual popped into her mind. Lines of white powder that fueled an adrenaline rush and booze that fogged your mind, stripping you of humane behaviour. That's how Colm controlled his men; addiction. Cassidy stuck with a pinch of cocaine before running with the boys, just enough to keep her excited. Things were as civilized as they could be when she was around. When she wasn't there, deaths would happen painfully and slowly. They would've done much worse to Sadie if they hadn't found her when they did. She swallowed down an uncomfortable feeling in her throat.

Micah witnessed her growing distant, he wanted to bring her back to reality, where he was. He found himself aching for her company more after each conversation they shared. He managed to regain his sly attitude before speaking. "Getting rowdy makes things more interesting, don't you think?"

She looked at him with a blank expression. She was beginning to lose interest in this conversation and his company. It felt like he was too eager to capture her attention. Cassidy never liked men who came on too strong, it made the buildup of attraction less fun.

"Not really," she answered dryly.

Micah lost his smirk as he observed her putting out her cigarette on the ground and leaving his side without a word. He huffed in frustration, feeling defeated by her coldness. He was beginning to wonder if one woman was worth this much effort.

Meanwhile, Cassidy found herself absentmindedly chopping firewood as the sun was beginning to set. The sky was a comforting shade of orange as she wiped beads of sweat from her brow. Once she was done with her share of chores for the day, the gang was gathering for dinner around camp. It felt foreign to her, watching them eat as they chatted cheerfully about whatever came up naturally. The O'Driscolls never laughed this much or even ate together at all. She was tempted to grab a bowl of stew for herself, but she figured it'd be safer to do so once everyone had eaten. She didn't feel like dealing with another confrontation today. Instead, she took a seat at an empty table, lighting another cigarette to keep her company. She wasn't alone for long, Dutch, Hosea and Arthur of all people joined her. Hosea placed a bowl of stew in front of her along with a mug full of whiskey.

"Um… thanks," she said, obviously confused by the kind gesture.

"You been working since dawn, you earned it," Hosea answered, dismissing her thank you with a gesture.

She kept smoking as she leaned forward, placing her elbow on the table and her chin in her own hand. "I'm guessing you boys ain't here just cause you feel like sharing a meal with an O'Driscoll. Why don't we just get to it?" she asked, smiling every so slightly.

Dutch couldn't help himself from smiling back at her. He was beginning to enjoy how sharp she was, especially compared to her father. It was actually refreshing since he usually had to charm people before getting to his main point.

"Arthur here found a small camp of some O'Driscoll boys staying just outside of Valentine. We want you to be there when we ambush them. It'll send a message to Colm if we let one of them survive. I want him to know you're on our side now," Dutch said confidently as always. He was giddy at the thought of Colm's reaction to such an unexpected betrayal. Surely it would cut deeper than simply killing the girl.

There was a prolonged moment of silence as the information settled within Cassidy's mind. She knew there was no ideal choice to be made either way. Resisting meant getting herself killed and doing as she was told meant backstabbing her father. Admittedly, she figured Colm would get over it if she told him they threatened her. It's not like he'd even care about losing a few men anyways.

"I'll do it," she said firmly. They all looked at her, appearing shocked that she didn't immediately say no.

Arthur chuckled softly. "And here I was getting ready throw you off that cliff again. You got any conditions?"

She eyed his revolver that was tucked safely away. "Let me use your gun. I like its look." Everyone but Arthur shared a laugh at her single demand. He valued his gun as if being parted from it would somehow weaken his nearly perfect aim.

Arthur gave his gun a protective glance. "Fine, we've got a deal, O'Driscoll." He offered his hand to shake on it. Cassidy didn't hesitate, she gripped his big, calloused hand and shook it steadily. She was glad it was dark out when the warmth rushed to her cheeks. Arthur had the same thought when he felt the smooth skin of her slender hand that felt surprisingly delicate to touch.

"Can you handle yourself in a fight?" Dutch asked.

She held back the annoyance of being doubted by him. Cassidy was only used to Colm questioning her, though he always found a way to degrade her while he did it. Dutch seemed to be asking out of curiosity, not spite.

Hosea interrupted before she answered him. "This is Colm's only child we're talking to, Dutch. You really think she'd still be alive if she couldn't fight like the men she runs with?"

Dutch ignored his question, waiting for Cassidy to speak for herself instead of Hosea.

"You ever notice how Colm ain't never spotted at an O'Driscoll robbery?" she asked Dutch as she held his gaze.

"Of course," Dutch responded while Arthur and Hosea nodded in agreeance. His thick eyebrows were furrowed because he wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"It's cause I'm the one in charge during most of our jobs. So yeah, I can handle myself in a fight."

They all had different reactions to this that showed through their expressions. Hosea's lips parted and his eyes widened in horror. It was becoming clear to him that Colm really had put this girl through hell. Arthur stiffened his jaw. To him, this meant she'd be just as dangerous as Colm if she took over the O'Driscoll gang. Finally, Dutch was the only one who seemed pleased by this, he was resisting the urge to smile. This meant the O'Driscolls would be weaker without her and she would be an asset to his gang. He was beginning to think that finding Cassidy O'Driscoll in those snowy mountains was a gift from God, if God even exists.

Dutch asked her a question that he knew needed to be asked. "Why are you being so agreeable? Don't you have any sense of loyalty to your gang… to Colm?"

She looked down at her own hands. She had a freckle on her wedding ring finger that always seemed out of place to her. Dutch's question made her uncomfortable, still, she felt the urge to answer willingly and honestly. It felt like her inner feelings about Colm and her gang were coming to the surface after being buried deep for so long.

"Loyalty? I think you know Colm well enough to realize that loyalty don't mean shit to him. Survival is what matters to him. Hell, Colm won't give a damn if I kill a dozen of his men cause he'll figure I'm doing it to stay alive. I reckon he'll be furious that I didn't manage to escape my captors," she said, laughing morbidly.

Dutch nodded attentively. "I see… so, I can count on you to make yourself known when we ambush those O'Driscoll boys tomorrow?" he asked.

"You sure can," she responded.

A/N: Sooo it's been forever since I've updated this but I'm thinking I may continue this story or start a new one about a con artist who works with Trelawny and gets caught up with Dutch's gang. I've got a ton of free time now in quarantine, so I'll be doing more updates. Let me know your thoughts!

Disclaimer: I do not own RDR


	5. Chapter 5

"That might just be the stupidest idea you've had yet, Bill. Not ever, I'm sure you'll find a way to come up with something more stupid than what you just proposed to us," Arthur said sarcastically. Cassidy noticed he had way with insulting his friends without coming off as a truly mean person. In some strange way, it was endearing.

"Stupid? That ain't right, Morgan. An explosive would kill half them O'Driscolls then we could handle the rest easily," Bill answered desperately. He was always anxious to have an idea that the others called "perfect" or "smart". Most of his plans fell flat on their face and he'd be teased about it for days, sometimes months. He was excited when Dutch asked him to join Arthur, John, Charles and Cassidy in ambushing some O'Driscoll camp. The anticipation he felt was being overcome by anger and embarrassment. He turned to face Arthur, who was riding right next to him, he did not seem even slightly convinced.

Cassidy, who was riding on John's horse this time, spoke up from behind them. "I reckon trees don't play nice with explosives. Also don't that defeat the purpose of an ambush?" she asked, her tone was clearly critical. She thought Dutch's gang prided themselves on being intelligent outlaws, it seemed like Bill was an exception. This led her to wonder why they kept him around since Colm would shoot one of his men if they said something that ridiculous. She didn't think Dutch would even consider doing that.

Bill saw her response as an opportunity to impress his fellow gang members. "I wasn't talking to you, O'Driscoll. Marston, could you shut the bitch up?"

John huffed; he knew what Bill was trying to do. Also, he didn't listen to anyone really, besides Dutch. He smirked when he thought of a way to piss off Bill, which was something he took deep pleasure in. He reached behind him and placed his hand on Cassidy's thigh. "Would you mind keeping it down, sweetheart? Bill has trouble focusing when too many people talk at once," he said gently, though just loud enough for Bill to hear.

Cassidy understood his intentions, she would've hurt him if she felt differently about his touch. She thought playing along might be entertaining. She scooted closer to John, lowering her hands to his stomach as she whispered in his ear, "you owe me a bottle of whiskey for this." She pretended to laugh even though he said nothing. Bill was fuming while Arthur and Charles were fully aware of what was happening.

"I've got more to offer than whiskey, Cassie," he whispered back. She was flustered by his comment. It had been some time since she had slept with a man, which left her feeling frustrated. She knew she'd have to sleep with someone to get rid of that feeling eventually. Though she'd have to choose carefully since she'd prefer not to get stabbed in her sleep by one of the women at camp.

"Jesus John, the hell is wrong with you? I bet Abigail is gonna wanna hear all about this!" Bill said assertively.

John removed his hand quickly at the sound of that name. Cassidy knew he wouldn't be an option at that moment.

"Alright, settle down you three… we're almost there," Arthur said, slowing down his horse as he scanned the area. He put his hand up as a signal that they had arrived. "Let's leave the horses here," he added, getting off and tying his horse to a tree. Everyone else followed his movements.

"Do we actually have a plan that doesn't involve explosives?" asked Charles, who'd been quiet during the brief ride.

Arthur stopped and looked at him, then to Cassidy. "If she walks in alone, they'd be too distracted to notice us," he said slowly as the scenario played out in his head.

Cassidy chuckled quietly. "Christ, now that's a plan even I can get behind." She put her hand out in front of him and Arthur knew what she wanted without words. He took his precious revolver out of its holster and placed it in her hand. She checked how many bullets it had and shoved it in her belt.

"Be ready to get behind cover when we shoot," John said to her. She nodded before jogging towards the O'Driscoll camp. The three of them crouched and began to follow her.

"Hey! Anyone out here?!" Cassidy shouted, pretending like she didn't know the exact location of the camp.

There was a heavy pause before someone answered. "Who's there?!" asked a man with a thick Irish accent. He stood at the edge of their camp, aiming his gun at the woman he didn't recognize.

"Cassidy, you moron. What you boys doing out here?" she asked as she got closer to them. She saw about ten O'Driscoll boys scattered around the area, all staring at her with wide eyes. Some of them she recognized, others must've been hired recently

"Colm sent us looking for you. What happened?" asked the same man.

She sighed impatiently, the attack should've started by now, unless they wanted to see how the O'Driscoll boys would react to her. Perhaps it was to confirm that she is truly Colm's daughter. "I got lost chasing a butterfly in the middle of a blizzard, what do you think happened?" she said spitefully.

No one dared to push back. "Come sit down, we got food. We can take you back to camp in the morning. Colm is gonna be real happy that we found yo-" the O'Driscoll was cut off by a bullet going straight through his neck. He gargled momentarily before collapsing onto the ground, blood oozing from him like sweet sap from a maple tree. Cassidy jumped towards the nearest cover which was a tree. Guns were drawn and firing in random directions as the O'Driscoll boys scrambled to take cover. They were sloppy and caught off guard. Arthur's plan was working perfectly.

"It's Dutch's boys, she fucking set us up!" shouted an O'Driscoll, who was shooting at the tree she was hiding behind.

"She's with us now you O'Driscoll scum!" John yelled, his voice sounding raspier than usual.

Cassidy refused to remain still in the middle of a firefight, she took out Arthur's gun and sent three bullets into a man's chest. She pushed forward, taking cover behind a barrel. She shot two more men until the fight seemed to be over. When she got up, she saw that Arthur had one surviving O'Driscoll pinned down and disarmed. He was squirming and struggling as hard as he could.

"Cassidy! Please don't let them do this, I won't say shit to Colm, I swear it. Just tell them to let me go!" he exclaimed, pleading to her with sadness in his eyes.

Cassidy stood over him, noting the green scarf around his neck. She used to wear one like it was her second skin, yet she hadn't thought of it until now.

"You sound like you're begging for your life. That ain't very O'Driscoll of you, I wonder what Colm would think?" she asked teasingly.

The O'Driscoll immediately tried to toughen up, like a dog trying to please its owner. "I ain't begging!"

"You're gonna go back to Colm and tell him exactly what happened here, every goddamn detail or I'll break every bone in your body. Understood?" Arthur asked cruelly, speaking powerfully in his face. Still, he looked to Cassidy for confirmation.

She tried not to think about what Colm would do when he found out. He'd probably shoot the messenger, it didn't matter to her either way. "You heard what he said. If you value your life, you'll use my name."

"I… I understand," he said shakily. Arthur released him and he sprinted towards the horses. There was silence until he was gone.

"Those gunshots made plenty of noise. John, Bill, Charles, head back to camp separately. Make sure you're not followed. Cassidy, stay with me while I see if there's anything worth taking here," Arthur instructed. Cassidy remained still until she and Arthur were alone.

"I suppose your tough guy act works on some fellers," she finally said.

Arthur looked up at her from a body he was looting. "Trust me, you ain't see nothing yet," he answered, sounding slightly displeased with himself. "Thanks for pulling your weight back there. Things went smoothly cause of you."

Cassidy observed him for a moment longer before doing some searching of her own. There was a shift in the dynamics between them, from hostile to civilized, not quite friendly. "I did what I had to, I suppose."

Arthur watched her when she wasn't looking at him, pretending to be focused on going through a small supply of canned goods. "You know any of them?"

She paused, looking at the lifeless face of a man she robbed with a few times. She couldn't recall his name. "Nope, Colm had too many men to remember," she lied. She figured it sounded better than saying she knew the men that she had helped kill.

"That's uh, probably for the best."

They finished their search soon after and begin walking towards his horse. Cassidy remembered she still had his gun. Not long ago she would've shot him without blinking an eye. Now she only thought to return the weapon to its rightful owner. She stopped, handing it over to him.

"Thanks for letting me use it. It's a fine gun," she said, watching him put it away.

"Well, you know what they say, a gun is only as fine as the man who fires it, or woman in your case," he said lightheartedly, flashing her a subtle smile.

Cassidy smiled back forwardly. "Then you must think highly of yourself," she said as they continued walking. Unlike other times, Arthur actually helped her onto his horse.

"No, not in the slightest," Arthur said jokingly, even though he really meant what he said. He had no illusions about himself. He was by definition a bad man who committed crimes for a living. He didn't pretend that made him good as others in the Van der Linde gang did.

"What a shame, an old gunslinger with poor self-esteem. Someone should write a tragedy about you," Cassidy said, smiling through her words so he didn't take her seriously.

"Uh-huh. I'll let that one slide, O'Driscoll, just the once."

They rode back to camp in silence since there was nothing to say. Arthur and Cassidy shared a distaste for forced conversation. They never felt the need to comment on the fresh spring weather or how pretty the sky looked that evening. They could sense this from each other since there was no unspoken discomfort lingering in the air. Arthur finally spoke as they were navigating their way through the forest just outside of camp.

"I'll tell Dutch you did good today," he said blatantly, giving Javier a nod, who was on guard duty by himself.

Cassidy pursed her lips. "Does that mean killing O'Driscolls is the only thing I can do to please you?" she asked dryly. She was somewhere between joking and being serious.

Arthur hesitated; he didn't expect that response. "Didn't realize it was me that you were trying to please."

She shook her head with amusement, not embarrassed by his comment. "If pleasing you means you not wanting to kill me anymore, then sure, I live to please you, Arthur."

She hopped off his horse before it was hitched and headed towards camp. Arthur watched her, a part of him was waiting to see if she'd look back at him. She didn't.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Send me feedback, comments or predictions, I'd love to hear what everyone is thinking.

Disclaimer: I do not own RDR.


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